udson in the British sloop of war Vulture, and had a secret meeting with
Arnold near Haverstraw. It was arranged between them that Clinton should
sail up the Hudson with a strong force and attack West Point, and Arnold,
after a show of resistance, would surrender the post. When Andre was
ready to go back to New York the Vulture had been compelled to drop down
stream, and Andre had to cross the river and proceed on horseback. He was
about entering Tarrytown, when a man armed with a gun, sprang suddenly
from the thicket, and seizing the reins of his bridle exclaimed: "Where
are you bound?" At the same instant two more ran up, and Andre was a
prisoner. He offered them gold, his horse and permanent provision from
the English government if they would let him escape, but the young
men--John Paulding, David Williams and Isaac Van Wart--rejected all his
offers, and insisted on taking him to the nearest American post.[1] Andre
had a pass from Arnold in which the former was called "John Anderson."
Colonel Jameson, commander of the post to which Andre was brought, did
not suspect any treason on the part of Arnold, and allowed Andre to send
a letter to that general.

[1] Charges were made by Andre himself, and echoed in Congress at a
much later period by Colonel Benjamin Tallmadge, who had the custody
of Andre, to the effect that the captors of the ill-fated British
officer were corrupt, and only held him because they could profit
more than by letting him go. On this point the testimony of
Alexander Hamilton, who passed much time with Andre previous to his
execution, and had full opportunity to weigh his statements, ought
to be sufficient. In a letter to Colonel Sears General Hamilton thus
compared the captors of Andre with Arnold: "This man" (Arnold), "is
in every sense despicable. * * * To his conduct that of the captors
of Andre forms a striking contrast; he tempted their integrity with
the offer of his watch, his horse, and any sum of money they should
name. They rejected his offers with indignation; and the gold that
could seduce a man high in the esteem and confidence of his country,
who had the remembrance of his past exploits, the motives of present
reputation and future glory to prop his integrity, had no charms for
three simple peasants, leaning only on their virtue, and a sense of
duty."

Meantime Washington, who h